Call On Me
by Janis 70
Summary: Graham had never seen anything so beautiful in his life. She would never know his true feelings for her. She hardly noticed him. Buffy would never know his true feelings... Or would she? Buffy/Graham
1. Chapter 1

**1**

**April, 2001**

Graham Miller, stood at the alter under a green wilting willow tree in his best black and white tux. He personally felt like a penguin, nevertheless, he wore the tux with confidence. He stuffed his hands anxiously into his pockets. Graham looked up at the people mingling sitting on the white wooden foldout chairs. He felt a billion eyes on him. He looked at the Priest standing beside him. He quickly averted his eyes from the Priest.

Priests have always freaked him out ever since he watched the Exorcist as a kid.

The two violin players sitting at the edge of the alter began to play. He watched as the guests rose from their chairs faced the back end of the aisle. A redheaded woman walked down the aisle followed with a young brunette. They wore wide grins as they passed him and stood on the opposite side.

Then she appeared at the top of the aisle.

Graham's breath hitched, taken by her goddess-like beauty. Her long blonde curled hair neatly fell over her shoulders. She wore a long simple white dress and held a small bouquet of white and yellow daisy's. She smiled softly approaching the alter. Graham had never seen anything so beautiful in his life.

"Buffy's gorgeous. Riley's a lucky guy." Graham looked at Riley's best man, Forrest standing in front of him.

"Yeah, man." Graham forced out the words. "He is." Riley held out his hand and helped Buffy up on the step. They faced the Priest. "He really is." Graham mumbled unheard.

"We are gathered here today to wed this man and this woman…" The Priest began the ceremony. Graham spent the next twenty minutes watching his dream girl marry his best friend. Knots twisted in his stomach every moment of the ceremony. "Rings please." The Priest looked past Riley at his best men. "Rings?"

"Yo, Graham." Graham shook out of his thoughts and looked at Forrest and Riley. "Rings, man."

"Oh," Graham stuffed his hand into his right pocket digging for the rings. He then, passed the rings to Riley. He met Buffy's smiling green eyes. Graham tried a smile to show his supportiveness, but his smile only made it halfway to one side.

She would never know his true feelings for her. He was just Riley's friend that went to college with them and nothing more. She hardly noticed him.

"…I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride." Graham watched as they shared their first kiss as husband and wife. He swallowed his feelings and watched them flee down the aisle hand in hand.


	2. Chapter 2

**2**

**October, 2005**

**2:30 A.M.**

**Graham's Apartment**

RING, RING.

Graham stirred from his dreamless sleep. He pinched the bridge of his nose and reached for his cellphone. Graham squinted blinded by the brightness of the cellphone. He read the name of the caller. It was Buffy. "Hello?" His voice was horse, filled with sleep.

"Graham?"

"Buffy? It's two-thirty in the morning, is everything okay?"

"Uh, uh, no. Riley and I gotten into a big fight. Can you, uh, open your door. It's kinda cold out here." Graham frowned then realized Buffy was standing outside his apartment door. He jumped out of bed and ran to the front door.

On the other side of his door, she stood wearing a grey zip-up sweatshirt and black yoga pants and a pair of sneakers. Her hair fell in her face covering her red, puffed eyes. She looked like she's been crying for hours. "Hi." Her voice was weak and tired.

"Come in." Graham opened the door wider for her to enter. He closed the door and turned on the lamplight on top of a small table next to the couch. Buffy's eyes ran over his muscular naked chest. He realized he was only wearing boxers. Graham rushed into his bedroom and threw on a t-shirt and sweatpants.

"What happened?" Graham asked walking into the living room.

She did not answer right away. Instead, Graham watched her look at the framed pictures on the fireplace mantel. She picked up a photo of herself looking out to ocean. Buffy figured it was taken about three years ago on a vacation the gang went to in San Diego. It looked candid.

Graham shifted nervously waiting her to respond to the photo. His story behind this photo was he had taken it when no one was looking. Buffy was by herself gazing out in deep thought to the sunsetting ocean. He couldn't help himself, the sunset made her glow angelically.

"I think Riley and I are getting divorced." Graham's head shot up registering her soft words.

"What?" He wondered if he heard right.

She placed the frame back on the mantel then turned to him hugging herself tightly. "I think Riley and I are getting divorced." She repeated. "We got into this huge fight… I told him I wasn't in love with him like I was and - He didn't believe me and started to - I left and here I am. I figured this would be the last place he'd ever look for me."

"I think you're right." Graham moved into the kitchen filling the coffee pot with water. "You're always welcomed here, Buffy." He smiled.

"Thank you." She sat on the couch and watched Graham move around the kitchen searching for coffee grains.

A few minutes of thick silence passed between them.

Graham went into the living room and sat beside Buffy on the couch and passed her a mug of coffee. "You can stay here for as long as you want. No problem." Buffy nodded lost in her own thoughts.

She rested her head on the back of the couch. "He accused me of having an affair." Graham looked at her unbelieving. She turned her head to him, "It's not true."

"Why would he think you're having an affair?" Graham asked. Buffy shrugged without a response and twirled her finger over the rim of her mug. "Can I, uh, ask - uh, what made you, uh, fall out of love with Riley?"

"You're gonna think I'm a terrible person." She looked up at him.

"Impossible." Graham smiled softly.

Buffy set her coffee mug on the table in front of her and faced him. "I've been having feelings for someone else. It's unfair to Riley to keep him in a marriage that's one sided." Graham couldn't decide what was worse; watching Buffy marry his best friend or the new guy she's leaving her husband for.

"Yeah." He scratched his head. "I guess you're right."

"Still doesn't make me the greatest person. I kinda hate me right now."

"Are you, uh, in love with this other guy?" It felt like a stake into the heart just saying the words.

"I don't know. My feelings are strong but - I've been thinking about this for a while now."

"Is it someone from work? Would I know this guy?" Graham couldn't help himself from asking. He had to know.

"Uh- no one from work - uh, sort of… But, uh, you do know him, I think."

"Oh?" Graham suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable. "Cookies?" Graham asked then quickly escaped into the kitchen.

When Graham turned from the counter Buffy stood behind him. "You're mad. I knew it. It was incredibly stupid of me to just barge in here and spill all my problems to you. I mean you're Riley's friend. His best friend. Of course you'd be angry at me! I'm a terrible person! I'm sorry." Buffy ran out of the kitchen towards the front door. Graham caught up to her and grabbed her elbow twisting her around or face him.

"I'm not angry at you. And I don't think you're a terrible person. I think you're just the opposite." He confessed.

"What do you think of me?"

This was it. His time to finally confess everything to her. The woman of his dreams was standing right in front of him with big green eyes waiting for him to speak. "I - I think you're everything. You're strong, sweet, you put others before yourself, too many times in my opinion. You're drop dead gorgeous. Everytime you enter a room, I feel my heart skip beats -" All of Graham's courage disappeared when he noticed Buffy's surprised expression. He began to regret running his mouth. "Shit. I - I didn't mean…"

"You don't mean it?" Buffy seemed hurt.

"No, no. I do mean it. I didn't mean to freak you out."

"You didn't freak me out." She smiled softly.

"I didn't?" Graham asked taken back. He wasn't sure what to do when Buffy took a step closer to him.

"You didn't." She slowly closed the small space between them pressing her mouth against his. Graham was too shocked to react. She was kissing him. Buffy was kissing him. He couldn't move.

As his brain came to terms to what was happening, the kiss ended. Graham could feel her soft hot breath against his skin. His heart pounded in his chest. He couldn't think as her hand slid from around his neck down his chest over his heart. "Is your heart pounding as hard as mine?" She asked him. Graham nodded. "I've wanted to kiss you for a long time." His head couldn't wrap around her words. She stepped away from him embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean too, uh, I'm sorry. I should go." Buffy turned the doorknob.

"No. Don't go. Stay. I'm just, uh, confused." Graham turned away from her and sat on the couch. "I mean, first you say, you and Riley are getting divorced, then you say, it's because you found someone else, then you kissed me and say you wanted to for a long time… I'm sorry, Buffy, I'm just confused." Graham laced his fingers together replaying the events that had just occurred in his mind.

So lost in his thoughts he didn't notice Buffy standing in front of him. "I want you." She whispered.

"What?" His ears perked up.

Buffy didn't answer right away trying to work up the courage. "I want you." Buffy repeated. Graham was sure he heard her wrong. She sat beside him taking his nervous hand. Graham couldn't believe it. It was a dream he dreamt a thousand times before.

"How long have you been feeling this?" Graham questioned carefully.

"I started to think about you when you left for Brazil."

Graham looked at her dumbfounded, "Brazil? The mission two years ago. The mission I left with Riley and Forrest two years ago?"

"Yes. I tried not too. I told myself I was crazy and you didn't like me in anyway except as Riley's wife. I mean, I've always had a crush on you ever since college…"

"What?" He couldn't believe his ears. All this time. "Sorry, I'm just processing…"

"Maybe I should go…" Buffy went to the front door again.

Graham jumped to his feet catching her arm and twirled her. Her back hit the door. "Stop trying to leave. I just need to process all of this. I mean it's kind of unbelievable…"

"Unbelievable?" Buffy repeated.

"I mean, it's you. And you're admitting that you have feelings… God, I'm a terrible friend. Riley's my best friend and I'm going behind his back."

"You're not going behind his back." Buffy said. "You haven't done anything wrong."

"I will be." Buffy opened her mouth to question him when his mouth met hers in an aggressive kiss. Buffy's arms immediately wrapped around his neck keeping him close.


	3. Chapter 3

**3**

**October, 2005**

**2:45 A.M.**

**Graham's Apartment**

Graham's hands slid down the sides of her body to the curve of her bottom lifting her up. Buffy's legs instinctively wrapped around his waist. Graham couldn't believe this was really happening. He was kissing Buffy and she was kissing him back with a fierceness like he always imagined. She was everywhere at once. Buffy broke their kiss but she was close enough where he could feel her breath. "Bedroom." She didn't have to tell him twice. Graham ignored the voice screaming in his head to stop. He wanted her too much.

They fell onto the bed locked in each other's embrace. Buffy slid the hem of Graham's t-shirt up his back then over his head. She tossed it away impatiently. Her eyes opened to see Graham staring down at her. Buffy slowly unzipped her sweatshirt. Graham kneeled on the floor at the edge of the bed.

Graham gave into his temptation and pushed her grey sweatshirt off of her shoulders exposing her golden skin. He envisioned what her skin felt like, what her skin tasted like. His lips trailed from her shoulder to her neck. Graham's fingers went to the hem of the tank top she wore up her thin body and over her head. "You're so beautiful, Buffy." Graham whispered amazed by her natural beauty. Buffy smiled and cupped his cheek then leaned forward capturing his mouth. The kiss was not aggressive like before. It was filled with passion and tenderness. Graham swore he felt love in her kisses and touches.

"Make love to me." She requested simply. Graham smiled against her mouth laying her down on the bed happily accommodating her request.

**U.S Army Headquarters in California, 2003**

A man wearing a black Army uniform stood in the background of the shooting range. "First Lieutenant Miller, Colonel McNamara wants to see you." Graham looked up from his rifle and glanced back over his shoulder to the second lieutenant behind him. Graham passed his rifle to the soldier and walked out the door and down the hallway to the Colonel's office.

Graham entered the Colonel's office and was surprised to see Riley, Forrest, Dixon, Stravos, and Goodman standing against the wall at attention. Graham took his place beside Riley. He locked his arms against his side and stared straight forward.

"Good you boys are here. At ease." McNamara said entering his office and sat at his dark oak desk. "I have a mission for you. The 'Top Secret' kind. It's in Brazil. There's a drug lord that's sneaking his products into the U.S. Along with automatic weapons. Take him out. I don't know how long you'll be there. Expect a year, two the most. Until you take his band of terrorist you're not leaving. Finn you're the office in command overseas. The helicopter leaves Friday, 0700 hours. Dismissed." Graham turned and marched out of the office.

Forrest turned to Riley, "Did you know about this?"

Riley nodded his head, "I did."

"Friday's in a day, man." Forrest ran a hand over his face.

"Come over tonight. We'll have a dinner." Riley offered to his best friends. "Say around seven?"

"I'm game." Forrest agreed and took out his cellphone punching in a few numbers. Graham quietly nodded and walked back down the hallway towards the shooting range.

**Finn's Home**

Graham stood outside the Finn's home feeling like a clown. He held a bouquet of spring colored flowers and a six pack. He pressed the doorbell out of politeness. His heart skipped a beat when the door opened revealing the familiar blonde that haunted his dreams. "Graham." She smiled widely.

Graham nervously held out the bouquet of flowers. "These are for you." He watched hopelessly as she buried her nose in the flowers.

"They're lovely. Thank you. Come in, come in." Buffy gestured. Graham stepped into the foyer and was immediately taunted by the blown up wedding photo of Riley and Buffy. He averted his eyes quickly suddenly feeling incredibly guilty. "The guys are in the dinning room. You're just in time too, I just ordered take-out." Graham smiled. He knew she wasn't much of a cook he found it incredibly adorable when she tried though.

When dinner was finished, Graham followed Buffy into the kitchen carrying the used plates and empty beer bottles. Buffy looked up from the sudsy sink to Graham. "Graham, you don't need to do that. Go hang out with the guys. I got this."

"It's no problem. Plus, the cook shouldn't be the one cleaning up."

"Technically, I'm not the cook. The good people at Wong-Tongs were."

Graham smirked, "Fine, the food orderer shouldn't do the cleaning."

"Then who's going to do it?" she raised her perfectly manicure eyebrow eyeing him knowingly.

"You got me there." he took a dry towel and picked up a wet plate.

"Sometimes I hate the Army." Buffy suddenly admitted. Graham looked at her. Buffy blushed. "I mean, I hate that they just tell you to go somewhere, we're not sure for how long or if you'll ever come back-"

"We'll be back. Riley will be home before you know it." Graham said.

Buffy stared at the bubbles in the water deep in thought. She dropped the plate in the sink and faced him. "Just promise me, you'll be safe. I know this mission is 'Top Secret' or whatever, but guns are still involved and it's dangerous." Buffy continued to wash the dishes and Graham continued to dry. "I want all of you to come home in one piece."

"We will. I promise we will." His body stiffened then relaxed when Buffy's head rested against his shoulder. He wanted to so badly to wrap his arm around her shoulders and hug her but he did not restrain his urge and kissed the top of her head.


	4. Chapter 4

**4**

**October, 2005**

**5:30 A.M.**

**Graham's Apartment**

A chirping alarm sounded.

Graham woke facing his nightstand. He reached up for his watch and clicked it button. He groaned reading the time. Graham placed the watch back on the nightstand and rolled over for a pleasant surprise. He had to remind himself of the earlier events. She was real and here. He could just reach out and touch her. Graham gave into his urge and placed his arm around Buffy's waist and hugged her into his body. Buffy buried her nose into his neck. Graham brushed her long mussed hair from her face then smoothed his index finger down her neck.

"Mmm… Graham…" Graham's ears perked when she moaned his name. She was thinking of him. Dreaming of him.

"Buffy." Graham whispered her name into her ear and brushed her hair off of her shoulder. She titled her chin up. Her eyes were still closed. Graham smirked and gently pressed his lips against hers. He watched a ghost of a smile appear across her mouth.

"Hey."

"Hi." Graham said breathlessly. Buffy opened her green eyes meeting his. There was no signs of guilt or regret. They laid there wrapped in each other's arms as if they've done so a thousand times before. But the flash of her marriage ring brought them back into reality. She stared at the gold band with deep thought.

"I should go." Buffy sat up keeping the thin bed sheet over her naked body. Graham nodded sadly and watched as Buffy get out of the bed picking up her scattered clothing.

"Yeah." Graham said sitting on the edge of the bed pulling on his sweatpants. When he turned Buffy was standing at the bedroom door.

"I'm, uh, I'm gonna go." She went into the living room towards the front door.

Graham ran a frustrated hand through his short hair and faced her. "So this is it? We say the things we said, make love and now you're going back to your husband?"

Buffy pinched the bridge of her nose and turned back to him, "Graham, I can't do this. It was wrong to act on those feelings." She watched his hopeful expression glower. Buffy walked to him and took his hands into her own then cupped his cheeks forcing him to look at her. "I am so in love with you, Graham… I want to be with you…so, so much. But I'm still married. And as much as I want you and I want to continue what we've started, I need to end things with Riley for good before I come back here." As much as Graham hated it, she was right. He nodded his head in agreement.

"Can I - can I kiss you goodbye?" He closed his eyes as her thumb smoothed over his cheekbone and felt the sensation of her lips against his.

Their chaste kiss broke quickly, "It's not goodbye. It's a see you later." Graham smirked and watched her exit his apartment. He replayed her words in his head repeatedly. Graham has never been happier. She'll be back.


End file.
